New South Wales (NSW) has become the first state in Australia to introduce an industry-wide code of practice to formally clarify the legal responsibilities businesses have to address hazards in the workplace that can cause psychological or physical harm.
NSW Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation Kevin Anderson and NSW Minister for Mental Health Bronnie Taylor released the ‘Code of Practice: Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work’ on 28 May, which encompasses risks to psychological health across all NSW workplaces.
NSW Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation Kevin Anderson and NSW Minister for Mental Health Bronnie Taylor released the ‘Code of Practice: Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work’ on 28 May, which encompasses risks to psychological health across all NSW workplaces.
Anderson noted that every workplace in NSW has a legal duty of care to their employees, to protect them from psychosocial hazards such as bullying and harassment, violence in the workplace and remote and isolated work. The new code outlines what employers must do under the state’s Work Health and Safety legislation to protect their workers. Anderson added that the code will also be used in court as evidence if workplaces fail to take their responsibilities seriously.
“This code comes after our research found only one in five NSW businesses reported having a basic awareness on how to control work-related psychological health risks and less than 10% of all workplaces said they have an established approach to handling these issues,” Anderson said.
Taylor said extensive consultation was undertaken in the development of the framework, with input from employers, employees, workplace safety experts and state and national mental health commissions. “The new code will take the guesswork out for business owners and staff by providing clear guidelines on avoiding potential psychological hazards and safely meeting new and existing challenges together in the workplace,” Taylor said.
www.safework.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/983353/Code-of-Practice_Managing-psychosocial-hazards.pdf
www.nscafoundation.org.au
“This code comes after our research found only one in five NSW businesses reported having a basic awareness on how to control work-related psychological health risks and less than 10% of all workplaces said they have an established approach to handling these issues,” Anderson said.
Taylor said extensive consultation was undertaken in the development of the framework, with input from employers, employees, workplace safety experts and state and national mental health commissions. “The new code will take the guesswork out for business owners and staff by providing clear guidelines on avoiding potential psychological hazards and safely meeting new and existing challenges together in the workplace,” Taylor said.
www.safework.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/983353/Code-of-Practice_Managing-psychosocial-hazards.pdf
www.nscafoundation.org.au
RSS Feed